Documentation Contents

More About HTML Converter


This section includes the following topics:

Notes:

  1. Backup all files before converting them with this tool.
  2. Cancelling a conversion will not rollback the changes.
  3. Comments within the APPLET tag are ignored.

Running the GUI version of the HTML Converter

The HTML Converter is contained in the JDK, not the JRE. The HtmlConverter.exe file located in the bin directory of JDK installation. For example, if you installed the JDK on Windows C drive, then cd to C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0\bin.

To launch the converter use the htmlconverter.jar contained in the lib directory of the JDK installation. For example if you installed JDK on Windows C drive then cd to C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0\lib and launch the HTML converter as follows:

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0\lib>..\bin\java -jar htmlconverter.jar -gui

Launching the converter on UNIX/Linux is analogous.

Windows Alternative

To launch the converter using Window Explorer, navigate to the following directory:

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0\bin

(or to <sdk_location>\bin if it is not located in the directory shown above) then double-click on the HtmlConverter.exe application.

Unix/Linux Alternative

cd to <sdk_location>/bin—for example /home/jones/jdk1.6.0/bin—then enter:

HtmlConverter -gui

The HTML Converter window will appear:

sample converter window


Choosing files within folders to convert:

To convert a single file withing a folder, you may specify the path to the file and include the file name; you may also browse to the file a select it. To convert all files within a folder, you may type in the path to the folder, or choose the browse button to select a folder from a dialog.  Once you have chosen a path, you may supply any number of file specifiers in "Matching File Names". Each specifier must be separated by a comma. You may use * as a wildcard. Finally, if you would like all files in nested folders matching the file name to be converted, select the checkbox "Include Subfolders".
 

Choosing a backup folder:

Windows

The default backup folder path is the source path with an "_BAK" appended to the name; e.g., if the source path is c:/html, then the backup path would be c:/html_BAK.  The backup path may be changed by entering a path in the field labeled "Backup Files to Folder:", or by browsing for a folder.

Unix (Solaris):

The default backup folder path is the source path with an "_BAK" appended to the name; e.g., if the source path is /home/user1/html, then the backup path would be /home/user1/html_BAK. The backup path may be changed by typing a path in the field labeled "Backup Files to Folder:", or by browsing for a folder.
 

Generating a log file:

If you would like a log file to be generated, go to the Advanced Options screen (Edit>Options) and check "Generate Log File". Enter a path in the text field, including the name of the log file; or use the browse button to set the path (including log file).  The log file may be an existing one or a new one. The log file contains basic information related to the conversion process.
 

Choosing a conversion template:

A default template will be used if none is chosen.  This template will produce converted html files that will work with IE and Netscape.  If you would like to use a different template, you may choose it from the menu on the main screen.  If you choose "Other Template ..." from the menu, you will be allowed to choose a file to be used as the template.  If you choose a file, be sure that it is a template.

Choosing a version scheme

Note: The specified version mentioned below is the version of the JRE you use to launch the converter; e.g., 1.6.0. The first two numbers in the version indicate the family; e.g., 1.6.0 is in the 1.6 family. For an explanation of product version numbers, see explanation of version numbers in the section called Using OBJECT, EMBED and APPLET Tags in Java Plug-in.

There are two choices here:

  1. You can choose to have conversion tags that will require the specified version of Java Plug-in to run your applets. If the specified version is not installed, then the client will be asked if he/she wants to install and download it.
  2. You can choose conversion tags that will allow any installed version of Java Plug-in in the family, equal to or higher than the specified version, to run your applets. If there is no installed version of Java Plug-in, or no installed version in the family equal to or higher than the specified version, then the client will be asked if he/she wants to install and run the latest version of Java Plug-in in the family.

Converting:

Click the "Convert..." button to begin the conversion process.  A dialog will show the files being processed, the number of files processed, the number of applets found, and number of errors.

Exit or Convert More Files:

When the conversion is complete, the button in the process dialog will change from "Cancel" to "Done".  You may choose "Done" to close the dialog.  You can then exit the Java Plug-in HTML Converter program, or select another set of files to convert.

Details about templates:

The template file is the basis behind converting applets.  It is simply a text file containing tags that represent parts of the original applet.  By
adding/removing/moving the tags in a template file, you can alter the output of the converted file.

Supported Tags:

$OriginalApplet$ This tag is substituted with the complete text of the original applet.
$AppletAttributes$

This tag is substituted with all of the applets attributes (code, codebase, width, height, etc.).
$ObjectAttributes$ This tag is substituted with all the attributes required by the object tag.
$EmbedAttributes$ This tag is substituted with all the attributes required by the embed tag.
$AppletParams$ This tag is substituted with all the applet's <param ...> tags
$ObjectParams$ This tag is substituted with all the <param...> tags required by the object tag.
$EmbedParams$ This tag is substituted with all the <param...> tags required by the embed tag in the form  name=value
$AlternateHTML$ This tag is substituted with the text in the no-support-for-applets area of the original applet
$CabFileLocation$ This is the URL of the cab file that should be used in each template that targets IE.
$NSFileLocation$ This is the URL of the Netscape plugin to be used in each template that targets Netscape.
$SmartUpdate$ This is the URL of the Netscape SmartUpdate to be used in each template that targets Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later.
$MimeType$ This is the MIME type of the Java object.

Below are four templates that come with the HTML Converter. You can make up others and put them in the template folder to use them.

default.tpl— the default template for the converter. The converted page can be used in IE and Navigator on Windows to invoke Java Plug-in. This template can also be used with Netscape on Unix (Solaris)

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<OBJECT classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB"
$ObjectAttributes$ codebase="$CabFileLocation$">
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
<COMMENT>
<EMBED type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED>
</COMMENT>
$AlternateHTML$
 </NOEMBED></EMBED>
</OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

ieonly.tpl — the converted page can be used to invoke Java Plug-in in IE on Windows only.

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<OBJECT classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB"
$ObjectAttributes$ codebase="$CabFileLocation$">
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
$AlternateHTML$
</OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

nsonly.tpl — the converted page can be used to invoke Java Plug-in in Navigator on Windows and Solaris.

<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<EMBED type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED>
$AlternateHTML$
</NOEMBED></EMBED>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

extend.tpl — the converted page can be used in any browser and any platform. If the browser is IE or Navigator on Windows, or Navigator on Solaris, Java(TM) Plug-in will be invoked. Otherwise, the browser's default JVM is used.
 
<!-- HTML CONVERTER -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"><!--
var _info = navigator.userAgent; var _ns = false; var _ns6 = false;
var _ie = (_info.indexOf("MSIE") > 0 && _info.indexOf("Win") > 0 &&
_info.indexOf("Windows 3.1") < 0);
//--></SCRIPT>
<COMMENT><SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.1"><!--
var _ns = (navigator.appName.indexOf("Netscape") >= 0 &&
((_info.indexOf("Win") > 0 && _info.indexOf("Win16") < 0 &&
java.lang.System.getProperty("os.version").indexOf("3.5") < 0) ||
_info.indexOf("Sun") > 0));
var _ns6 = ((_ns == true) && (_info.indexOf("Mozilla/5") >= 0));
//--></SCRIPT></COMMENT>

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"><!--
if (_ie == true) document.writeln('<OBJECT
classid="clsid:E19F9330-3110-11d4-991C-005004D3B3DB" $ObjectAttributes$
codebase="$CabFileLocation$"><NOEMBED><XMP>');
else if (_ns == true && _ns6 == false) document.writeln('<EMBED
type="$MimeType$" $EmbedAttributes$
$EmbedParams$ scriptable=false 
pluginspage="$NSFileLocation$"><NOEMBED><XMP>');
//--></SCRIPT>
<APPLET $AppletAttributes$></XMP>
$ObjectParams$
<PARAM NAME="type" VALUE="$MimeType$">
<PARAM NAME="scriptable" VALUE="false">
$AppletParams$
$AlternateHTML$
</APPLET>
</NOEMBED></EMBED></OBJECT>

<!--
$ORIGINALAPPLET$
-->

Running the converter from the command line:

Format:

java -jar htmlconverter.jar [-options1 value1 [-option2 value2 [...]]] [-simulate] [filespecs]

If only "java -jar htmlconverter.jar -gui" is specified (only -gui option with no filespecs), the GUI version of the converter will be launched.  Otherwise, the GUI will be suppressed.

filespecs: 
space-delimited list of file specifications which may include wildcard (*), e.g. *.html, file*.html).

-simulate:
Set to preview a conversion without actually doing the conversion. Use this option if you are unsure about a conversion. You will be shown detail information about the conversion had it been done.

Options: Description
-source Path to files; e.g., c:\htmldocs in Windows, /home/user1/htmldocs in Unix. Default is <userdir>
If the path is relative, it is assumed to be relative to the directory from which the HTMLConverter was launched.
-dest Path to converter file location. Default: <usrdir>
-backup Path to the directory where you want backup files to be stored.  Default: <source>_BAK
If the path is relative, it is assumed to be relative to the directory from which the HTMLConverter was launched.
-f Force overwritting of backup files.
-subdirs Sets whether files in subdirectories should be converted or not.  Default:  false
-template

Name of template file to use for conversion.  Default:  Standard (IE & Navigator) for Windows & Solaris Only. 

Note: Use the default if you are unsure.
-log Path and filename for the log.  If not provided, no log file is written.
-progress Set to display standard out progress during conversion.  Default: true
-latest Use the latest JRE supporting the MIME type.
-gui Display the graphical user interface for the converter.

 

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